Ottawa’s Troubled Light-Rail Train Service Remains Closed After yet Another Shutdown
Ottawa’s beleaguered light-rail transit system remains shut down for a third day after it was abruptly halted during rush hour earlier this week, causing ongoing disruptions to all who use it.
The city’s public transit provider, OC Transpo, announced Monday evening that service was shut down due to an issue with the train’s axle bearing.
Buses are now running along an alternate route for commuters who would normally take the train.
OC Transpo general manager Renée Amilcar said excess grease was found on a train axle during a routine inspection, prompting an immediate shutdown due to safety concerns.
She said the service, which was partially shut down for two weeks last month for maintenance work, will remain out of service “until further notice.”
Outside of Parliament Station on Queen Street, crowds of transit users anxiously awaited replacement buses on Wednesday.
Kaitlyn Baker said she relies on the transit service to commute from Barrhaven to downtown Ottawa for summer school and for her job.
On Tuesday, the LRT shutdown forced Baker to stay home and skip out on her schooling, she said — and later that day, she waited 35 extra minutes for a bus before her mom decided to order her an Uber so she could get to work.
Baker blamed the tardiness on OC Transpo rerouting buses elsewhere to respond to the train shutdown, and said she has “not a lot” of confidence in the city’s public transit.
Ilias Elmi said he uses public transit for “everything.”
“I live downtown. It’s hard to own a car, so (public transit is) easy,” said Elmi.
Elmi said while he still has trust in OC Transpo’s services, there need to be permanent solutions to the LRT’s woes.
“Like, every month, it breaks down. So they’ve got to fix it,” he said.
A public inquiry into the issues plaguing Ottawa’s light-rail transit resulted in a scathing report released last fall.
It faulted both city officials and companies hired to build the $2.1-billion project system for delivering an unreliable system more than a year behind schedule.
